Born in 1955 in the Bronx, N.Y., Frankie Knuckles later moved to Chicago in the ’80s and made an enormous impact on electronic dance music. As the resident DJ at an old nightclub, the Warehouse, Knuckles mastered the art of mixing classic disco with new eurobeat-pop and synthesized beats. His sound was infectious and created an everlasting craze in dance music. This past Monday, the “Godfather of House Music” was discovered dead in his Chicago home by his manager. While the cause of death remains unconfirmed, many believe it may have been related to his struggle with diabetes.
Knuckles was one of the city’s “most treasured cultural pioneers,” proclaimed by Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel. Not only did he create a genre that has exploded in popularity, he also created a safe haven within the Warehouse for the LGBT community in 1980s Chicago. A section of Chicago’s Jefferson Street, between Monroe and Van Buren, was dedicated to Knuckles in 2004 as “The Godfather of House Music” Frankie Knuckles Way. The ceremony was recognized by former Illinois Senator Barack Obama.
Monday night, Facebook and Twitter was flooded with artists expressing their condolences.
We reached out to some Chicago artists to share their personal stories of Frankie Knuckles’ passion and undeniable influence over the city.
“We had the pleasure of having Frankie Knuckles play here at Sound-Bar a few months back for our lunch break party. We opened the club at noon for two hours during lunch break for the surrounding businesses in River North. I was skeptical if we were going to have a good party or not, you know, considering it is noon on a Wednesday. I walked outside shortly before doors opened to get some air and was awestruck to see over 500 people waiting in line. This image alone says an awful lot about the type of act Frankie was. It was always an absolute treat to be in the same room as him. Whether you’re billed with him or just a patron, there was always a heightened sense of ‘family values,’ or camaraderie in the room if it was a Knuckles event. There aren’t any other localized acts that would be able to slam a club at noon on a Wednesday. Even though I only had the chance to hang with Frankie a few times, I will always cherish those moments.”
PHNM,
“Frankie is such an inspiration to me because anytime you see pictures of him you know he was legitimately happy to be there and playing music for everyone. You can guarantee that everyone in the crowd had a huge smile as well. There is definitely something to be said for that. The godfather of house will be deeply missed, but his legacy will live on through his records.”
DJ Torio of Sephano & Torio,
“I think he had an influence on anyone who was into house music before the EDM trend exploded. Anyone from Chicago and the rest of the world who played house music was and still is carrying on the Frankie Knuckles legacy. He probably had no idea when he and Ron Hardy created house music that it would explode into this international phenomenon that it is today. House music was always a genre of music for outsiders; people who were not accepted in society flocked to house music. After all, it started out in the Warehouse which was a predominantly African-American and gay club. Now the whole world has accepted the influence of house into the mainstream. I think we have all felt his influence and it will never die.”
Zebo, winner of Best DJ in Chicago, performed a tribute set Tuesday night at Chicago’s First Annual Nightlife Awards,
“Started with this track for my Frankie Knuckles tribute set at the awards on Tuesday. It was not easy but felt it was the most appropriate way to begin the set. There is a right time and place for certain pieces of music and it may not be the easiest thing to hold down at the moment, but it is necessary to be played. Much respect to all who got down with us during the set.”
Frankie Knuckles is one of the most important DJ’s of all time. If Knuckles hadn’t paved the path for electronic music back in the 1980s, would the music we love be what it is today? The culture Knuckles created will live on, and I believe it’s time that artists honor this legendary DJ by going back to the basics. Be daring, be original, be everything mainstream music is not….just like Frankie Knuckles.
Remember Frankie Knuckles With These Mixes
Photo Credit:
Photo 1: Michigan Chronicle
Photo 2: The Fader
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